Sussex Society of Rugby Referees select SportFocus
3rd February 2008by Peter Atkinson
We are delighted to announce that the Sussex Society for Rugby referees has selected SportFocus to implement their web based Membership System and new website.
Phil Holley of the Sussex Rugby Referees Society said......."Like many committees, the Sussex Rugby Referees Society is run by a collection of individuals who work and have many demands on their time. With the countrywide drive to recruit more referees, the Society was getting enquiries via their existing website and a training a large number of potential referees doing the entry level course.
These people’s details were kept on Excel spreadsheets by each of the committee members responsible and it was increasingly difficult to maintain and reconcile these separate listings. In addition the almost universal usage of email for communication required the setting up and maintaining of separate email address list for differing referee levels For example producing an email list of all referees with more than 3 years experience.
We did consider building our own Access database, but who would design it? input the data from the various source spreadsheets?, maintain it?, upgrade it and made sure it was backed up safely?. What happens if this person/people leave the Society, get transferred overseas or run over by the proverbial bus?
What we needed was a website based database system in which members could update their own contact details and the Committee members could input and update their area of responsibility, such as CRB checks, gradings and membership payments etc.
We looked at companies providing membership database systems and requested further details from several. We were impressed by SportFocus firstly because they specialise in sporting organisations and understand exactly what we required but also with their prompt response in dealing requests for information.
Getting SportFocus to build and maintain our website database will make administration of the Referees Society much easier, ten times more efficient and gives us the flexibility we need to focus our efforts on training and supporting new and existing members."